The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-21
DE LEssEPs.s RIVAL.

The Projectors of the Nicaragua Canal Pre-
pairing no Begin Operations.
Special to the indianapolis Journa.
WAsHINeoN, Nov. 20.-The Nicaragua Canal
Company will very take the first practical
step toward the construction OF the proposed
canal connecting the Caribbean sea with the Pa
eific ocean party of forty surveyors and
their assistants. under the immediate control OF
civil engineer R. E. Peary. will leave New York
city next Saturday on the steamer Hondo for
Nicaragua. for the purpose of making minute
and extended surveys Of the canal route. One
hundred laborsrs will be added TO the party
when they reach GreYtown, the eastern
terminus Of the proposed canal The sur
veyors will at begin the work of
making axial location of the
canal from sea to sea, and will make additional
borings after boring the sites of the locks, dams
and entertainments. railroad will also be To-
Gated, to be built soon as the construction OF
the canal is commenced. The railroad ia to ex-
tend from the ocean harbors to the unimpeded
navigation on either side of lake Nicaragua The
proposed route OF the canal extends from the
harbor Of Greytown, on the caribbean Pea, to
Brito, on the Pacific. It's total length is 10
miles. of which thirty-nine miles will be excava-
ted canal, forty-seven miles navigation by lake
Nicaragua, and eighty-s miles by the river San
Juan 1.-THE outlet OF the lakel, the basin of the
-ivsr San Francisco. and through seven locks.
The lake will be connected with the
Pacific by canal about sixteen
miles IN length The concession granted by
Nicaragua to the com pany, and which was ratified
by that government last april, is as liberal as
-ould be desired. Il gives to the company the
exclusive privilege of building and operating the
canal and a railroad for ninety nine years. with
. privilege of extending the contract for like
period. The sea0orts at the entrances to the
al IN ha free a rha Tnerchant vessels OF
all nations Large donations of lands alter
nate sections along the route OF the canal,
amounting to 300 square miles. given to the
company. The final surveys, now soon to be
commenced. are. under the terms OF the con-
eession, to bs commenced within one year after
its ratification by the Nicaraguan Congress, a
year and half is TO be allowed to complete
them. and s.. 900 900 must be spent on consIruc
tion during the first year OF work
Admiral Ammen. who has long been known as
a champion of the Nicaraguan canal project, be-
lisves this route is perfectly feasible. and free
from com licated doubtful engineering prob
lems He saws that Is now located the naviga-
from sea would be 40 miles. of which
forty miles to be exeavated, possibly admit
ting of n reduction of ten miles by the further
substitution Of estuary navigation in the east
ern division Not less than fourteen miles
be executed by dredgers, and the remainder will
almost wholly be effected by machine labor.
developed tho estuary OF the San Francisco
river the Caribbean coast,
actually adding, he says, so per cent.
che commercial value of the route The further
development of estuary navigation will doubt
less shorten the mileage of excavation and fur
Their lessen the cost of construction and mainte-
nance of the canal, but TO what extent can only
be known when the work of this surveying
party is COMPLETED. The estimated cost of the
canal is s65. DOC. 900. and it may be completed
Six years, of which time year, perhaps,
will be expended in perfecting the location and
making the necessary preparations for active
operations.